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TCU admits 11-year-old boy genius to study quantum physics

Carson Huey-You, age 11, begins his first year of study at TCU.
Maddi Bruton

Carson, left, is pictured with his brother, Cannan, 7, who is studying at an eighth-grade level.
Evan Folan

Although many students may miss the freedom of summer, for many youngsters, the new school year is an exciting time. Kids across the country just can’t wait to crack open their textbooks to study physics and calculus.

Okay, most kids would prefer to have nothing to do with advanced mathematics, but for one 11-year-old, it’s an important part of his degree requirement.

Carson Huey-You is attending Texas Christian University to become a quantum physicist. TCU360 reports that Huey-You is starting off his freshman year at age 11, although he was admitted at age 10. The dean of admissions couldn’t recall ever accepting such a young student — or possibly even one with such a spotless record.

By age 2, Carson Huey-You was reading chapter books. By age 3, he could add, subtract, multiply and divide.

The aspiring young physicist graduated from the Accommodated Learning Academy in Grapevine, Texas, with a 4.0 GPA; he was the co-valedictorian of his senior class. He also scored a cumulative score of 1770 on his SAT with a 620 in math.

According to Huey-You’s mother, one of the first indications of her son’s ability to stay focused came during a visit to the eye doctor, who commented on Huey-You’s ability to pay attention instead of squirming and trying to escape like most other babies. By age 2, Huey-You was reading chapter books. By age 3, he could add, subtract, multiply and divide.

When most kids his age were entering kindergarten, Huey-You was working at an eighth-grade level.

Huey-You went to TCU to speak with Dr. Magnus Rittby, the senior dean for the College of Science and Engineering, to see if he was prepared to take on university classes and life. It appears that he is more than ready.

Although quantum physics may be Huey-You’s preferred field of study, he also understands the importance of studying a diverse curriculum. He wants to enjoy the full college experience with science and foreign language clubs. In addition to being almost proficient in Mandarin Chinese, the 11-year-old also taught himself to play the piano and is on his way to learning Beethoven’s “Für Elise.”

Just in case you thought that Carson is the only fluke prodigy in the Huey-You family, his brother Cannan is only 7 and already studying at an eighth-grade level. Cannan is expected to graduate high school by the time he is 13.

But just because Huey-You is on track to earn his degree before he can even get a driver’s license, he still takes the time to enjoy the things that many kids his age love: hanging outs with friends, playing basketball and football, and playing MineCraft online. He also watches plenty of MythBusters, because, after all, explosions are the quickest way to an 11-year-old’s heart.

He’s also an avid Star Wars fan, saying that he prefers the original trilogy. That’s just in case you needed any more evidence that he’s a smart kid.